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Blower Motor Resistor

SyntheticShield

SyntheticShield

New member
Hey everyone. I have the dubious task of trying to replace my blower motor resistor. Ive got everything pulled out except the resistor. Im held up by two bolts that hold the resistor in place. The good news is that holes they screw into are slotted, so I only have to loosen them to get the thing out. However, they are right up against the firewall/floorboard and I cant get a ratchet nut driver or anything in there to even loosen them.

Whats worse, I can only see one of the bolts, the other I cant even get an eye on. I got the easiest one out obviously and I can see the resistor and its definitely fried.

Can anyone tell me how to get those bolts out or loosened? I would greatly appreciate any help anyone can give. If you have done this before please post up what you did. I dont want to destroy the thing (the bolts and mounting points) to get it out but am open to ideas.
 


I did manage to get the one you can see out when i did this last week but it was a pain and I didn't even touch the other and when I put it back in I left that back one out and it was still in there firmly when i tried to wiggle it...but from what I did you shoud just be able to slide it right out without loosening them...It was a bit more difficult sliding it out than i was sliding it out so u may have a little resistance....by the way i used a 1/4 inch drive ratchet cuz thats the only thing that could get that bolt against the firewall....

on another note how are you doing this?...laying upside down in the passeger seat or sitting outside the car?
 
Chleby said:
on another note how are you doing this?...laying upside down in the passeger seat or sitting outside the car?
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LOL. Im six foot tall, and a little heavier than Id like to be so neither of those are good for me. I had to replace the ignition switch today as well, so I just pulled both seats out. Still not totally comfortable but WAY WAY better than either of the ways you mentioned. Ive tried it that way before and it doesnt go well for me.

I think I'll go to the parts store tomorrow and see if I can find some kind of flex shaft for my 1/4" driver or ratchet, Ive seen them before, its just a matter of finding one. I have some wobbly extensions I havent tried, but I dont think it will be enough.

Thanks for your reply and help.
 
When I did mine, I got the first one out, then broke the old resistor to get it off the other than took it out by hand putting it together by hand was easy
 
I dont quite understand how breaking off the old resistor helped you get it free from the bolts. Unless you were working it loose from inside the blower motor housing?
 
I couldn't get to the second bolt due to the cofines and my puggy hands, so after I got the first one out I broke the resistors plastic(as close to the screw as I could get it) then just worked the plastic chunk out with pliers and the screw could be taken out by hand, A bad way to do it I know, but sometimes force is required

A 1/4 drive swivel socket of the correct size would have probably worked out but I didn't have it and was in a rush.

Sorry that it was unclear in the first post I was in a Hurry typing....

Hope This helps
 


Yes it does. I was already planning on going to Sears sometime this morning and see if I can find some type of flexible shaft driver. I have a swivel socket, but I wasnt able to find it yesterday, so I may have to pick up a new one of those.

Thanks for your help.
 
archemedes said:
I pulled the carpet back, and it gave enough room for my 1/4" extension and ratchet
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I tried that too and it didnt do enough. There is another layer of something back there than I am unable to pull back to get any clearance. Im either going to have to find my swivel, a good wobbly extension or a flex driver of some type.
 
I sure wish I could have saw that. I got a flex shaft driver that got one of the other bolts loose, but there is one behind the big electrical connector I still cant get to. Ive been trying to wiggle it out, but no joy so far.
 


grab it with a pliers and pull on it while wiggling it up and down...thats how I did it because as far as I could figure that was the only way to get it out without ripping out the entire dash
 
I finally got the thing out. Pretty much the way you described. I broke the old resistor, but thats okay too. Once I had it out that third bolt was still very difficult to get to but I just worked on it a little and backed it out some and left it that way so if Im ever have to replace that thing again I wont have to deal with it.
 
Thats why you need to train your wife to do stuff like this. Smaller hands. I took out my whole blower motor(upside down in the floor).
I also have to change my own plugs and wires. I don't know if my hands are small, but I have skinny fingers. Too bad you fixed it! I could've came over and done it while you fixed my window:D I still can't even see the Regulator.
 
SyntheticShield said:
Well I tell ya, honestly, I would have considered that a fair trade.
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Fellows you don't have to touch the back 2 bolts just remove the 1 facing back of car and take fan down it'll come out without touching the back ones and slide it back in. Did mine the other day. Now a question , mine worked fine before I reassembled everything for a day then back to only working on 5 only and I did smell funky wiring thought it was the new burning off, but now won't work on 1_4, hate to buy another and do the same thing let alone taking that sucker out again on my back. Any suggestions on why it would burn up a new 1, fuses are all good and blows fine on 5 > Thanks in advance
 


elks said:
Fellows you don't have to touch the back 2 bolts just remove the 1 facing back of car and take fan down it'll come out without touching the back ones and slide it back in. Did mine the other day. Now a question , mine worked fine before I reassembled everything for a day then back to only working on 5 only and I did smell funky wiring thought it was the new burning off, but now won't work on 1_4, hate to buy another and do the same thing let alone taking that sucker out again on my back. Any suggestions on why it would burn up a new 1, fuses are all good and blows fine on 5 > Thanks in advance
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I had this exact thing happen to me, and it ended up being the actual head unit was shorting out and causing the resistor to fail (the plugs go straight from the control unit in the dash to the resistor. Check the plug, it might even be blackened where it shorted. Make sure to clean the connectors.

I just ended up swapping everything out with the digital unit to avoid the hassle! :th_laugh-lol3: It's a bit of work, but here's a link to my write-up if you're interested: http://www.grandprixforums.net/thre...Manual-Dual-HVAC-to-Automatic-HVAC-Conversion
 
wstefan20 said:
I had this exact thing happen to me, and it ended up being the actual head unit was shorting out and causing the resistor to fail (the plugs go straight from the control unit in the dash to the resistor. Check the plug, it might even be blackened where it shorted. Make sure to clean the connectors.

I just ended up swapping everything out with the digital unit to avoid the hassle! :th_laugh-lol3: It's a bit of work, but here's a link to my write-up if you're interested: http://www.grandprixforums.net/thre...Manual-Dual-HVAC-to-Automatic-HVAC-Conversion
Click to expand...
thanks I'll surely check that out when I get back under there and hope it just needs cleaning, would be hard to replace connector
 
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